St. Ives, Cornwall Presentation Spitfire
PARNALL AIRCRAFT COMPANY
'St. Ives & Cornwall' is our inaugural Presentation Spitfire recreation. Started in 2015, the aircraft is now nearing completion and holds a special place in the hearts and minds of the people of St. Ives.
COMMUNITY EFFORT
The St. Ives Spitfire Fund
As one of 1400 Spitfire Fund appeals across the country, a drive was established in the St Ives community for charitable donations in the lead-up to the construction and consecration of the St Ives plane. The town eventually brought the 'St Ives' into being in the February of 1942, one of only three Cornish towns to achieve the goal. To commemorate the plane's construction, a plaque was issued to the town reading: 'In the hour of peril, the people of St Ives earned the gratitude of the British nations, sustaining the valour of the Royal Air Force and fortifying the cause of freedom by the gift of a Spitfire Aircraft.'
Picture credit: The St. Ives Museum
COMMUNITY EFFORT
Fundraising Efforts
The most significant contributions came from the social activities put on within St Ives itself. The St Ives Dramatic Society put on a performance of Patrick Hamilton's play Gaslight. There was a boxing match held at the Guildhall; various music concerts, including a recital by the celebrated pianist Eddie Miller; and even, on 19th September 1941, a Grand Spitfire Ball. St Ives had of course attracted artists from all over the country since the arrival of the railways, being blessed with its famously romantic quality of light produced in the alchemy of blue sea and sun. The town leveraged its artistic reputation in the service of the Spitfire Fund, with a picture auction staged at Porthmeor Galleries in which local artists raised £118.
TAKING TO THE SKIES
The St. Ives Short Career
The plane would go on to serve a short but productive career in the war. Before it was damaged and decommissioned in 1943, it shot down three enemy aircraft in its 123 flying hours, including a Messerschmitt on its first flight. Its pilots included a French sergeant known as Popeye, named for his legendary collection of tobacco pipes, as well as another nicknamed Blitz, having survived a potentially fatal crash.
Picture: BL709 allegedly shot down the Messerschmitt pictured on the left.
HISTORY
A Thieving Arts Hub
St Ives was historically a thriving maritime port, best known for the practise of pilchard seining. But after the construction of the St Ives Branch Line railway in 1877, it became a destination for domestic tourists from far and wide. The Porthminster Hotel was constructed in 1894 and well-dressed visitors would parade along the wharf, with local motorboats providing tours around the coastal area. St Ives artist colony also blossomed from this development, as painters and sculptors were attracted westwards by the unique quality of light, as it meant that paintings done en plein air in the town could be easily transported back to the capital.
HISTORY
St. Ives Hidden History
From the Edwardian painters to the studio potters of the 1920s, to the modernists of the 40s and 50s, countless individuals were inspired by the town’s way of life and the landscape that nursed it. However, aeronautical engineering is a missing link from St Ives’ history. The efforts to raise money for a municipal Presentation Spitfire generated an almost constant stir in the local press, from details of fundraising measures such as an auction of paintings in 1941 to tales of its exploits in the air once completed. The Cornish coast was sheltered from the action on the Front across the Channel, but through the Spitfire Fund, St Ives transcended its geographical seclusion to join in the national war efforts.
People will be able to sit in your Spitfire and immerse themselves in the aircraft when on display. Removable cowlings and access panels will allow people to view the internals of the aircraft including the wings, fuselage and engine compartment. The aircraft can be transported to various locations using the minimum of external equipment. This is therefore a unique opportunity to own a Presentation Spitfire, built by the same manufacturing family.
Read More About the opportunity
OWN A STATIC DISPLAY SPITFIRE
The presentation Spitfire Story
WHY PARNALL?
In order to raise funds for Britain's war effort, a 'Spitfire Fund' was created. The cost of a Spitfire was set at £5,000 and individuals, businesses and communities, were encouraged to donate and inscribe their aircraft with a name of their choice.
Over £13m was raised and approximately 1,500 Presentation Spitfires were built during the Second World War. Presentation Spitfires enabled people to root their participation in the war effort in an iconic physical object, and their operations were closely followed in the press and the community.
ABOUT US
Why Parnall?
During the Second World War, the Parnall Aircraft Company was a key manufacturing partner to Vickers Supermarine, building a variety of Spitfire components including main planes, ailerons, fuel tanks, oil tanks, chassis jacks, tail wheel assemblies, wheel fairings, radiator fairings, flaps, tail planes, elevators, rudders, balloon hoods, oil cooler fairings and machined details.
This is therefore a unique opportunity to own a Presentation Spitfire built by the same manufacturing family.
OUR AIRCRAFT
Aircraft Essence
A Parnall Spitfire will be ‘as it left the factory’ during war time. Without the need to obtain a permit to fly, the aircraft can be produced using entirely original processes and to orginal specifications, without the need for costly, airworthy materials. The result will be an honest recreation of a wartime produced Spitfire, which looks, feels and smells like the original. Each aircraft will bear a signed Parnall Aircraft Company Manufacturer’s plate and be delivered with a certificate of authenticity.
KEY INFORMATION
technical specification
FRAME & FUSELAGE
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Mk V, although other marks may be discussed.
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Paint-scheme and presentation name accurately applied suing original photographs as references.
COCKPIT & CONTROLS
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Largely original cockpit internals, dials and controls.
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Fully functioning flight controls.
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Illuminated cockpit, gunsight and navigation lights.
ENGINE
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Original Rolls-Royce Merlin engine accurately installed
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Other build specifications may be accommodated
ARMAMENTS
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Replica armament applicable to type built may be installed
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Imitation ammunition for wing bays
WITH THE AIRCRAFT
Build Book
A coffee table style book, charting the aircraft's original history and subsequent reconstruction will be presented with the aircraft. Parnall's researchers will present a narrative of the original aircraft's benefactors), how the money was raised, where the aircraft was built, who flew it and in which squadrons. The result will be a rich and engaging storyboard for the plane. A framed and signed print of the engineering team who re-built the plane will also be presented.
Display & Exposition
YOUR SPITFIRE
People will be able to sit in your Spitfire and immerse themselves in the aircraft when on display.
Removable cowlings and access panels will allow people to view the internals of the aircraft including the wings, fuselage and engine compartment. The aircraft can be transported to various locations using a minimum of external equipment. This is therefore an opportunity to enjoy and offer to others, an authentic, yet highly immersive Spitfire experience.
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Corporate HQ's, trade-fares and exhibitions.
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Tourist promotions for cities, towns and regions.
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Loans to museums and film production companies
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Private collection display
USES FOR THE AIRCRAFT
WITH THE AIRCRAFT
Storytelling
Accompanying the aircraft will be a collection of storytelling aids to support the aircraft's exposition:
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Aircraft logbook recreated as per the original.
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Portable display featuring an illustrated history of the aircraft.
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Pilot's uniform, recreated to match that worn by one of the aircraft's former pilots.
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Scale model(s) of the aircraft may also be provided.
WITH THE AIRCRAFT
Dressed to Impress
To assist the display of the aircraft it can be configured in a variety of attitudes - for example:
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Positioned in the flying attitude.
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External lighting to illuminate the aircraft on display.
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Green screen and/or cloud back-drop for
Register Your Interest
OWN A STATIC DISPLAY SPITFIRE
Whether you are looking for an historic reconstruction that adds gravity to your collection or a sculptural centrepiece of iconic British craftsmanship, you can rely that our sophisticated aircraft are worthy of our name. Pride and preservation are at the heart of what we do, making sure we stay true to the skills and innovation demonstrated by the legacy of the original Parnall Aircraft Ltd.
To register your interest in owning a Spitfire, or leasing the St, Ives Presentation Spitfire for an event or exhibition, please fill in the form below with your details and we will be in touch asap.